Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Petuniaxc3x97hybrida cultivar Wespeal.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petuniaxc3x97hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Wespealxe2x80x99.
The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany. The new Petunia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor of a proprietary Petunia selection identified as 98 M 079, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Petunia selection identified as 98 P 77, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia was selected by the Inventor in 2000 in a controlled environment in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany since 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Wespeal have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Wespealxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Wespealxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Petunia cultivar:
1. Cascading plant habit.
2. Freely branching habit.
3. Short internodes, dense and bushy growth habit.
4. Freely flowering habit.
5. Double salverform light violet-colored flowers with contrasting dark purple-colored venation.
Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of the female parent, the selection 98 M 079. In addition, plants of the female selection have single flowers. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers and darker green-colored leaves than plants of the male parent, the selection 98 P 77.
Plants of the cultivar Wespeal can be compared to plants of the Petunia cultivar Wespemari, not patented. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany, plants of the new Petunia and the cultivar Wespemari differed in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter internodes than plants of the cultivar Wespemari.
2. Plants of the new Petunia had darker green-colored and smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar Wespemari.
3. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller flowers than plants of the cultivar Wespemari.
4. Plants of the new Petunia had darker green-colored and smaller sepals than plants of the cultivar Wespemari.
5. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia were double whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Wespemari were single.
Plants of the cultivar Wespeal can also be compared to plants of the Petunia cultivar Kerpril, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/399,874. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany, plants of the new Petunia and the cultivar Kerpril differed in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Petunia were shorter than plants of the cultivar Kerpril.
2. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller flowers than plants of the cultivar Kerpril.
3. Plants of the new Petunia had darker green-colored and smaller sepals than plants of the cultivar Kerpril.
4. Flowers of plants of the new Petunia were not fragrant whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Kerpril were fragrant.